Johnson Named Baseball's Top Player

Tuesday October 31
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer

Randy Johnson not only was baseball's top pitcher for the first time, he was the sport's top player, according to the annual statistical rankings released Tuesday by the Elias Sports Bureau. The Big Unit received a score of 99.227 out of 100, based on statistics from the last two seasons. The Arizona Diamondbacks' left-hander replaced Kevin Brown of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who dropped from 98.232 to 97.595.
Last year, Brown and Johnson were 1-2.
Cleveland outfielder Manny Ramirez was the top-rated position player, at 97.284.
Johnson finished first in ERA, strikeouts and innings; second in winning percentage; and tied for second in starts and third in wins, the categories used to evaluate starting pitchers.
Four players on the NL-champion New York Mets were among the leaders at their positions: second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo, shortstop Mike Bordick, catcher Mike Piazza and reliever Armando Benitez.
Outfielder Bernie Williams was the only player among the leaders from the New York Yankees, who won their third straight World Series title.
Once again, the biggest aberration was among AL relief pitchers. Keith Foulke (94.122) of the Chicago White Sox finished first for the second straight year, and Mariano Rivera (90.620) of the Yankees again was third, behind Boston's Derek Lowe (93.357).
While Rivera was first in wins plus saves, second in ERA and fourth in hits per nine innings, he was 10th in strikeout/walk ratio, 23rd in appearances and 32nd in innings.
Foulke was first in strikeout/walk ratio, fourth in ERA, sixth in hits per nine innings, ninth in innings, tied for ninth in wins plus saves and 15th in appearances.
The rankings, created by owners and the players' association in the 1981 strike settlement, are used to divide free agents into groups that determine draft-pick compensation for a player's former club if he signs with a new team.
Among the statistics used for hitters are plate appearances, batting average, on-base percentage, home runs and RBIs.
Toronto's Carlos Delgado (95.455), who last month agreed to a contract calling for a record average salary of $17 million, took over from Texas' Rafael Palmeiro and was the AL's top first baseman for the first time.
Cleveland's Roberto Alomar (93.367) was the top second baseman for the third straight year and the seventh time in nine seasons.

Seattle's Alex Rodriguez (92.481), who became a free agent Monday, led AL shortstops for the second straight season and the third time in four years, while Cleveland's Travis Fryman (84.524) replaced Todd Zeile and was the top third baseman for the second time in three years.
Ivan Rodriguez of the Rangers (94.118) led AL catchers for the fourth straight season.
Ramirez, also a free agent, was among the top three AL outfielders for the fifth straight season, and Williams (91.975) joined him for the fourth consecutive year. Kansas City's Jermaine Dye (89.753) made it for the first time, replacing Baltimore's Albert Belle.
Seattle's Edgar Martinez and Palmeiro (both 90.667) tied at designated hitter, the fifth time in six years Martinez held or shared the top spot.
Boston's Pedro Martinez (95.290) topped AL starters for the second straight season.
Colorado's Todd Helton (94.815) was the top NL first baseman, replacing Houston's Jeff Bagwell, and Alfonzo (92.328) led second basemen, stopping the six-year string of the Astros' Craig Biggio.
Bordick (88.655), acquired by the Mets from Baltimore in July, was tops among NL shortstops, a position Cincinnati's Barry Larkin led in nine of the previous 10 seasons. Atlanta's Chipper Jones (88.095) led at third base for the second straight season after tying Vinny Castilla in 1998.
Piazza (90.476) took over from Atlanta's Javy Lopez at catcher, finishing first for the third time in four years.
Montreal's Vladimir Guerrero (94.205) led NL outfielders for the second straight season, and was again joined by Sammy Sosa (92.955) of the Chicago Cubs. Pittsburgh's Brian Giles (93.977) was among the top three for the first time, replacing Colorado's Larry Walker.
Benitez (95.683) replaced Houston's Billy Wagner as the top NL reliever.
Ken Griffey Jr., traded from Seattle to Cincinnati before spring training, failed to finish among the leaders for the second straight season after finishing among the top three AL outfielders from 1993-98. He was tied for 10th among NL outfielders at 83.364.